The Tipping Point
by gduvdub
Summary: The fallout from What Was Missing.
1. Chapter 1

******This is my first story ever so be kind but let me know if I should continue or not. If this goes well I will add a lot more and even maybe some back story of what happened before "What Was Missing." Let me know guys!  
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Marceline's hair fell forward, hiding her face and muffling her sobs.

In her 1000 years she had rarely cried and it remained a mystery to her how an insignificant bubblegum princess could be the current reason for her tears.

For a brief moment she contemplated how it was possible for a heart that no longer beat to still ache so thoroughly. She chuckled to herself through tears, _"best to leave scientific questions like that for Bonnib—."_ Marceline choked on the third syllable of _her_ name finding it too painful to finish.

* * *

On the other side of Ooo Princess Bubblegum fell onto her bed face first, clenching the shirt the 4 friends had just retrieved from the Door Lord. Her mind raced with questions, the speed matched only by her heartbeat.

Had Marceline noticed her blushing when she admitted her attachment to the shirt? her shirt?

Did she see through her admission of wearing it to bed every night?

Was it obvious to Jake...to Finn... to Marceline what she had been trying to suppress for the last year?

_"I'll have to talk to her tomorrow_," Bubblegum thought aloud, "_I have to know where I stand... where all of this stands."_

Unable to quiet her mind, she stood, adjusting her dress and crown. She carefully folded the shirt and placed it under her pillow. As she headed out of her room she caught her reflection in the mirror and paused.

Bubblegum looked at her reflection and for the first time was unsure of just exactly who it was looking back at her. With a heavy sigh she turned and headed for her laboratory, exhausted but desperately needing the distraction.

* * *

The morning sun found Princess Bubblegum slumped over her lab table, unintentionally catching up on the sleep she had missed the night before. When she finally awoke it was only to investigate the source of an unfamiliar and extremely strong smell.

With a gasp she discovered the sleeve of her jacket, engulfed in flames thanks to the burner she had failed to turn off and apparently had just knocked over during her slumber.

_"OH GLOB, OH GLOB!"_ she shouted. Uncharacteristically, she hesitated for a moment, then waved her hands in panic lighting herself on fire.

She only came to her senses when Peppermint Butler (who, as it turned out, had been standing outside the lab door since sunrise contemplating the propriety of entering a room where his royal highness was resting) busted through the door to check on her.

_"My lady, are you alright?!"_ he asked, eying the smoldering remains of the princess's favorite hoodie and detecting the unmistakeable smell of slightly charred sugar.

_"Um.. er… uh.. yes, everything is fine. You may go!"_ she finally sputtered out and jumped in front of the smoking jacket in a failed attempt to conceal it.

With a skeptical bow and a quick glance at the brownish tinge that now adorned her usually bright pink arm, he left the room and Bubblegum was alone with her thoughts once more.

_The sooner I talk to Marceline the better, _she thought to herself. The princess knew full well that it was the situation at hand… and more specifically the plaid-wearing Vampire Queen herself that was to blame for her recent "un-Bubblegum-ness."

_I'm so distracted… Today my jacket. Tomorrow it will be my entire lab._ She shuddered at the thought. _I'll summon for her tonight. _

* * *

As dawn broke, Marceline retreated to her home in the cave. She floated around her living room without purpose until finally, as always, her pale grey hands found their way to her bass.

Exhausted from the last few days and her miserable night, she absentmindedly plucked at the strings and lost herself further in the sound.

She barely noticed the knock at her door.

_"Leave me alone"_ she lazily drawled in the door's direction.

A second knock.

_"Oh Glob, seriously?!"_ She exhaled deeply and opened the door.

A small cupcake wearing a messenger bag handed a pink envelope to Marceline and nervously looked back at the ground.

_"What's this?"_ she questioned, knowing very well whom it was from but fearing the contents all the more.

Her heart sank as she awaited a response.

_"A-a-a-a-S-s-s-s-umm-mmmm-ons… A summons from h-h-her r-r-royal h-…"_ Marceline rolled her eyes and glared with impatience_ "h-highness the Princess of the c-c-c-andy—"_

_"ENOUGH"_ shouted Marceline, sending the young cupcake fleeing from the door in fear.

As he sprinted for the cave's exit, Marceline shouted after him_ "TELL HER IF SHE WANTS TO SEE ME, SHE KNOWS WHERE TO FIND ME!" "AND NEXT TIME SHE SENDS A CUPCAKE MESSENGER TO MY CAVE, TELL HER TO MAKE IT RED VELVET!" _she added, flashing her fangs and hissing for good measure.

* * *

Princess Bubblegum was not pleased. As usual, Marceline was making life difficult.

_I swear sometimes she just says no because I was the one who asked_…

Though if she was to be honest with herself, Bubblegum _had_ wanted Marceline to come on to "her turf" for a reason. She thought it would make the situation more bearable… more easy for her to manage and direct.

This constant demand for control was the source of many fights between the two girls and so in the end Bubblegum was unhappy but not at all surprised by Marceline's response (or rather the response she had managed to put together from the terrified cupcake's story.)

At dusk she set out for Marceline's cave. The princess hoped to avoid traveling in darkness by perfectly timing her arrival with night fall- _right as Marcy will be waking up,_ thought Bubblegum, unable to hide the smug satisfaction she got from her cleverness.

* * *

Princess Bubblegum had no way of knowing, but she need not have factored Marceline's sleep schedule into her travel plans.

Marceline had not slept a wink for the second day in a row. Nor, come to that, had she eaten at ALL during that time.

Cycling through self doubt, anger, sadness, exhaustion and what was now IMMENSE hunger, Marceline was a wreck.

_Should have eaten that stupid cupcake before he ran out of here, _Marceline thought angrily.

As the final rays of sunshine began to fade, she resigned herself to ending the previous days' masochism.

_I'll eat as soon as the sun goes down, but tonight I want to hunt... I want blood, _she thought as her eyes flashed red for a moment.

It was unusual for Marceline to crave a kill, but 2 days worth of unchecked hunger and a re-broken heart had made for a very bad intentioned vampire._  
_

Soon, Marceline was in a frenzy. She found such a release in allowing her primal instincts to take over, quieting her mind and focusing entirely on bloodlust.

_The first THING with a heartbeat to cross my path will not survive the night. _She closed her eyes and with violent intensity shifted into a wolfish form, shredding her clothing and howling with rage and delight.

Four paws thudded in rhythm on the ground, nose searching the air for a scent. As she neared the cave's exit, the final ray of sunlight just disappearing completely, a sickeningly sweet scent hit her nose full force. As she ran faster, now much more beast than girl, she closed in on the sugary scent and with delight heard the pounding of a heartbeat.

With another howl and a sudden leap, she was upon her prey.


	2. Chapter 2

The ending arc of a leap, a flash of grey fur upon pink skin, and the stomach churning sound of a tear and a crunch...

Within a mere moment, Marceline's pupils had restricted and her wolfish features reverted back to their original forms. She knew something was horribly wrong.

As her heart sank, she surveyed the damage that she had just caused.

Bonnibel Bubblegum lay on the ground unconscious... _maybe even- _Marceline couldn't finish the thought.

Puncture marks were visible on the princess's shoulders, a deep pink syrup oozing out slowly through the breaks in Bubblegum's skin.

As her eyes darted to the left, Marceline gasped and even though it did not seem possible, she paled several shades in color. A pink arm was at least a yard away from where it should have been attached to Bubblegum's body.

As shock gave way to panic, the Vampire Queen bent down over the fallen princess.

_"Bonni! BONNI WAKE UP! Bonni I'm so sorry... I didn't know it was you..." _Marceline grasped the younger girl's shoulders and cradled her head. _"I was so hungry and... I wasn't thinking..." _she willed her words to reach Bubblegum, to bring her back.

_I should take her to someone who can help._

A groan escaped the princess's lips.

_On second thought I shouldn't move her._

_I'll bring someone to her._

Marceline hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave Bubblegum alone. She bent down and lightly grazed the princess's forehead with her lips. "_I'll be right back, Bonni. Hold on."_

* * *

_"YOU BUTT!" _Bubblegum shouted at Marceline's back as her eyelids flew open to reveal what **appeared** to be Marceline fleeing the scene.

Bubblegum was livid. _"You attack me and then you LEAVE ME?!" _she shouted, sitting up and wincing slightly.

_"BONNI!"_ Marceline responded and zoomed back to the ground, _"I wasn't leaving you I was-"_

_"MARCELINE ABADEER, DO NOT INSULT MY INTELLIGENCE! WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE YOU THINKING?!"_

Relief washed over Marceline in waves as her feet met the ground. _"Bonnibel, I didn't know it was you... I was just hunting and-" _

But Bubblegum was yelling again, _"DO NOT ADDRESS ME SO INFORMALLY WHEN YOU'VE JUST ATTACKED ME WITHOUT CAUSE! AND SINCE WHEN DO YOU HUNT **ANYONE**?! I THOUGHT YOU GAVE THAT UP A HUNDRED YEARS AG-"_

Marceline looked up at the Princess from behind her wild hair, thinking...hoping that she had paused because her anger had subsided. To her horror, Bubblegum had just noticed her own arm lying on the ground by her feet. Marceline braced herself and though she would never admit it, she felt a slight twinge of fear at the thought of what was coming.

_" ...ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" _Bubblegum's voice reached a new decibel, stinging Marceline's sensitive ears.

Marceline did not hear exactly what else was said, mostly because she was not sure in which language Bubblegum was now shouting at her. Nonetheless she figured it was best to let her continue uninterrupted.

Bubblegum ranted and raved, only stopping minutes later when she saw a smile creeping through the corners of Marceline's mouth.

Enraged even further, she seethed, "Do_ you find this funny, Vampire Queen? Because I'll tell you right now-"_ Bubblegum followed the path of Marceline's eyes, immediately identifying the source of her smile. Not only had the princess picked up her detached arm without noticing, but she had apparently been waving it and its fingers at Marceline the entire time, scolding her.

Bubblegum scowled and then without thinking, slapped Marceline across the face with the hand from her removed arm.

Marceline's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

Bubblegum's mouth fell open, not believing what she had just done.

Both girls stood in shock until an unladylike snort suddenly escaped from Bubblegum. A moment later, both she and Marceline were doubled over laughing uncontrollably, the sound of their hysterics echoing into the night air.


	3. Chapter 3

**Not sure how this one turned out. Writing dialogue back and forth is not easy. I'll get better! Please review if you think I should keep this going. Actually... review if you think I should stop, too. **

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Marceline paced back and forth in her kitchen, feet well above the ground. Bubblegum had made it very clear on their way back to the cave that Marceline was to stay down stairs while the Princess reattached her arm.

Marceline's curiosity was beyond containment, however, when she heard the sound of her hair dryer running upstairs.  
Drifting silently over the banister and up the stairway, she peaked into the door of her bedroom and her eyes fell upon Bubblegum's back.

_"What on Ooo are you doing?" _Marceline blurted out unintentionally. She quickly assumed a lounged position against the door frame, eyebrow cocked and arms crossed to mask the very "uncool" curiosity that had bubbled up without warning. _This nerd is starting to rub off on me..._ she thought to herself, amused.

Bubblegum turned on a dime and dashed out of view into the bathroom, _"I thought I told you to stay down stairs, Marceline?"_ and the vampire noticed embarrassment in her voice.

As was usual when the two girls were alone, Marceline's tough exterior faded quickly away and she moved closer to the door of the bathroom, but this time did not peer in. _"Bonnibel, I'm sorry. I was just curious. It's not every day you rip one of your best friend's apart and she uses a hair dryer to put herself back together."_

The princess heard rare sincerity in Marceline's voice and sighed, turning the hair dryer back on and speaking loudly over the noise. _"The heat makes my body pliable so that I may reattach my __**limb**__," _she explained as she peered around and out of the doorway to gauge Marceline's reaction.

_"Why do you act like you're afraid you'll gross me out?" _Marceline grinned, canines showing. She continued in her best Transylvanian accent, _"I'm a vampire remember? I have a high tolerance for creepy."_

Bubblegum giggled despite herself and blushed a bit. Eyes rolling playfully, she retreated back into the bathroom as Marceline floated over to her bed and reclined in the air. She picked up her bass and plucked the strings.

The sound of the blow dryer silenced as Bubblegum reshaped her arm and shoulder.

Marceline cleared her throat and began to quietly sing and play an improvised song:

Oh Bonnibel

This much is true

I went all wolfy

And then went after you

I'm sorry that I

Caused you some harm

But you smelled so delicious

And I dismantled your...arm...

Marceline hummed a few lines that had not yet come to her and continued plucking her bass.

Bubblegum smirked at the pause and stepped out of the bathroom.

She glanced up at Marceline and raised her eyebrows. _"Not your best song, Marce,"_ she rotated her shoulder in a full circle to show off her craftsmanship. "_**This**, however, is a work of art," _she added, inclining her head towards her newly repaired shoulder.

Marceline smiled and then her eyes fell to the holes in the princess's shirt and the shallow but apparent wounds that were still visible through them. The smile faded from Marceline's face, _"couldn't you fix **those**?"_ and the disappointment and concern was evident as her body involuntarily descended until she was lying on the bed.

Bubblegum moved to comfort her, but Marceline recoiled from her touch.

The princess took in a deep breath_. _Even though the thought of Marceline rejecting her for a second time was almost enough to stop her, she sat down on the bed where Marceline had now rolled over to face the wall and moved a small pink hand onto her shoulder.

_"I will heal soon, Marceline... but you know we have to talk..." _she paused, searching for any kind of response, but when none came she continued, _"we have to talk about what happened outside... we have to talk about why I came here tonight...we have to talk about why you wouldn't come to me when I asked... and we have to talk about the shirt."_

Marceline's cold blood ran colder and she sank further into her mattress.

Bubblegum knew that pushing Marceline would get them nowhere. She gave the vampire's arm a quick squeeze and pulled her jet black hair away from her face.

The princess leaned over and put her forehead against Marceline's, _"I'm going to go downstairs and make something to eat, when you're ready to talk, meet me on the couch." "I'll have a plate of strawberries for you," _she added as she left the room.

Marceline's stomach grumbled as she remembered how long it had been since she'd last eaten.

* * *

Marceline rebalanced the last colorless strawberry on top of the others and leaned back on the couch. A sigh of contentment found its way between her fangs and past her lips as she slowly lifted into the air, now hovering a foot above the cushions from which she had just ascended.

_"It is cuh-razy uh-mazing what a little bit of color can do for an empty stomach, Peebs", _she drawled, patting her belly for emphasis.

Marceline let out a quick burp, immediately looking to Bubblegum and hoping for-a pillow flew from the Princess's direction and hit Marceline softly in the face- a response.

_"__**Charming**__, Marceline. You know, being royalty, as you __**are**__ comes with an expectation for propriety..."_, Bubblegum continued her lecture as Marceline gazed out of the window into the cave's darkness.

She smiled to herself and let her thoughts drift- _"...and even though it may seem insignificant in the moment, you must..." _Bubblegum continued in the background- Marceline grabbed her bass.

_Why does __**this**__ feel like home?_ Marceline wondered as her fingers ran the length of the bass's strings. _Bonni lecturing me after dinner, my bass in my hands,_ _**us **__together...home... _

Marceline glanced back at Bubblegum who was now constructing some sort of pie chart on a chalkboard that she was fairly certain had not been in the room just a moment ago - _"and if you'll look at the distribution and breakdown, you'll see..."_ -Marceline could not contain her amusement and floated down to sit in front of PB and her chalkboard; she raised her hand.

_"Um, yes?" _Bubblegum queried, finally noticing Marceline's hand in the air.

_"I was just wondering, Ms. Bubblegum, did you stash that chalkboard here at some point... with this moment in mind?"_ Marceline responded, a facetious smile sneaking across her face.

_"Well no, not for this moment in particular, but I **do** try to have one placed in every location that I-" _Bubblegum paused, realization dawning,_ "Oh, ha-ha."_

Bubblegum smirked and turned to clear the chalkboard, _"If you don't want to let me finish then I guess we better get on to discussing more... pertinent topics."  
_

Marceline groaned and mumbled disapproval under her breath.


	4. Chapter 4

**It's been a minute. If you guys want me to keep updating, I needs me some motivations! So leave a comment!**

It had been a month since "the talk."

The talk that Princess Bubblegum had stumbled through...unusually inarticulate... blushing... unsure.

The talk that Marceline had sat (or floated, rather) through... hands clenched into fists... jaw set on edge... fearing what words would come out of either of them next.

The talk that, whenever either girl recalled it, filled them both up with regrets... agonizing over what should have been said.

In the end they had left a great many things unspoken and the conversation had ended with Bubblegum standing abruptly from the couch, pushing the wrinkles out of her dress and heading for the door.

Bubblegum had paused in the doorway, "_We'll just_..."-Marceline looked up expectantly-"..._we can just_..." defeat dripped from every carefully articulated word, "..._just pretend that nothing ever happened_."

Marceline had spent the next 30 days trying to forget the appalling quickness with which the edge of the door had met the frame that morning and how fast Bubblegum had left, taking with her any hope Marceline had that things ould be different.

* * *

Marceline floated into her cave and smiled despite herself.

"_Home, sweet, Cave._"

Just like the last time she had returned from an extended period of adventuring, she found Finn and Jake in her home. This time, thankfully, they had not moved in.

Finn looked down at his wrist, conspicuously absent of a watch.

"_GLOB! IT'S ABOUT TIME MARCELINE!_" he shouted, bouncing off of Jake who had shifted into a strange-looking, orange trampoline.

Finn landed on Marceline's head in an awkward embrace.

She chuckled and untangled Finn's limbs from around her. "_Hi boys, pretty rad greeting. Been planning that one out for a while?_"

_"Nah, just like the last couple of weeks or so,"_ replied Jake, now back to his normal dog self and rifling through long empty cabinets.

Marceline surveyed her house for signs of damage,_ "well, thanks for house sitting for me. I'll get those 30 sandwiches I owe you together soon."_

Jake's stomach rumbled dramatically, formed a fist and promptly punched him in his own face. _"The sooner the better, cause I'm starving!"_ He licked a stalactite and recoiled at the taste.

As soon as Jake was out of ear shot, Finn looked down at his feet.

_"Hey, Marce... you okay? You sounded all gummed up before you left and I..."_ Finn rubbed the back of his neck, visibly uncomfortable, _"I just wanted to make sure you're okay."_

Marceline punched him in the arm, sending him tumbling backwards, "I'm fine, you freak," she said, adding in a softer tone, _"Thanks for asking... Now get outta here, I haven't slept in weeks."_

Finn grabbed his ankles, balled up and rolled out of the door to catch up with Jake.

Marceline shook her head. _"Strange kid,"_ she muttered to herself, closing the door and floating up to her room.

* * *

The previous month had gone by very slowly for Princess Bubblegum. Not that she had expected Marceline to show up the next day after they talked, but Bubblegum definitely did not anticipate weeks of Marceline's absence. To make matters worse, Finn and Jake had disappeared for most of that time as well.

In an attempt to distract herself, Bubblegum had begun creating projects around the Candy Kingdom. In the last week alone she had placed a sugar coating around every single gum drop (1,394,772 to be exact) in her realm.

In the moments that simply could not be filled, like those right before her eyes finally surrendered to sleep each night, she inevitably thought of Marceline. She wondered where Marceline could be and what she was thinking.

One night, as she lay in bed, Bubblegum comforted herself, _Marceline will come back. Things can go back to normal. Everything will be fi_-_, _ her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door.

_"Who is it?"_ asked the Princess.

_"It's me, Peebs, open up...unless you're doing princessy...type... stuff... in there,"_ said Finn, blushing and banging his head on the door. _"DUDE, SHUT UP!"_ he quietly yelled, chiding himself.

The Princess giggled, _"You may enter, Finn."_ She quickly tucked _the shirt_ underneath her pillow. _"What is it?"_ she asked, noticing a hint of nervousness in his body language.

_"Marceline's back," _Finn replied, attempting to sound casual.

Bubblegum hadn't allowed herself to fully realize just how much she had been missing Marceline and how truly worried about her she had been for the past few weeks. As soon as Finn uttered the words that she had returned to Ooh, the reality came crashing down upon her.

The princess immediately fell back onto her bed and began to sob, expelling a month's worth of pent up worry and sadness.

Finn's eyes widened and he tip toed over to Bubblegum, patting her awkwardly on the back. _"Uh... there, there,"_ he added feebly.

Suddenly feeling quite exposed and vulnerable, the Princess gathered herself as best she could and turned to Finn, "_you may go, Finn. I'm- (sob)-I'm fine! I got something in my eye! Allergy season and- (another sob) - all of that geothermal... radiation (sob)...dynamic (sob)... shifting (sob)... uh.. just makes my nose run."_ Bubblegum had completely made up this last part in an attempt to confuse Finn and get him to leave, a strategy that had worked several times in the past.

_"Uh, yeah... okay, PB. I just wanted to see if you would come to a surprised welcome home party for Marceline tomorrow. Everyone will be there..."_ Finn stared at the mess that was now Bubblegum's face- puffy, red, pained- "_...you sure you want me t-"_

_"YES! GOODNIGHT, FINN!"_ the princess replied, interrupting him.

* * *

The next morning Princess Bubblegum awoke, feeling as though she had been run over by a herd of wild lemon drop leopards the night before.

_**"Blegh!"**_ she exclaimed, looking in the mirror and contorting her puffy face, "_and I look like it too!_" she mumbled to herself.

As she turned to pick out her dress for the day, Princess Bubblegum noticed a small piece of paper on the floor. She deduced from its position that it must have been slipped under her door.

**"Dear Princess Bubblegum,**

**Don't forget: Marce's party TODAY.**

**Your hero,**

**FTH."**

Bubblegum bit the corner of her lip and folded the note carefully in half.

_I'm going to have to see her eventually_, she thought to herself, _might as well get it over with_...


End file.
